TDBC Day 8: Friends

Throughout my life I have been blessed with amazing friends. I could post lots of pictures and tell lots of stories, but I've decided to dedicate this post to two very special friends... Steve and Becky. This spring, right now, is the 25th anniversary of our friendship (gifts please). I could write volumes about what their friendship means to me, and I could tell you story after story and you'd be guaranteed some laughter as well as tears, but I'll have to pick and choose just a few things.

Although we met them when they first moved into our (previous) neighborhood and ward, it wasn't until the late spring and early summer of 1986 that our friendship began. We really just hit it off right away, it was instant friendship, and that was and continues to be a blessing in my life. Something that is so wonderful about our friendship, is that Steve and Mike are buddies and Lesley and Becky are besties, and the four of us together... Mike & Les and Steve & Becky; we are eternal friends.

In the beginning we would get together and play cards, pretty soon it was camping trips, double dates, mountain man rendezvous, dutch oven cookouts, cherry hill days, girls camp, 50 milers, day trips, snow caves... oh wait, the snow caves was just Steve (Mike always managed to get out of that one). We have been on multiple trips to Yellowstone; with the kids, but most without. We've shared many of life's experiences and had a lot of fun together.

Becky and I sang in Echoes of the Heart together, we were in a recipe club together, we served in the primary presidency together. Over the years we have come to know each other so well that sometimes we can be a dangerous combination, we could easily erupt into uncontrollable laughter at the wrong moment. There have been many occasions when in a social setting we can't look at each other, we both know what the other is thinking and if one us us should look at the other... we will burst out laughing. I LOVE it when I can make Becky laugh, her laugh is wonderful.

Steve is Mike's best buddy. They have enjoyed many of the same hobbies together. They both like to dress up in fringed, leather clothing, and to complete the outfit, they wear dead coyotes on their heads and then go out in public. They both love music and have lip synced to Simon and Garfunkel, again... in public. They have both been involved in scouting and served as leaders in the young men's organization. One thing you may not know about Mike and Steve is this... they once moonlighted as security guards, but that's another story.

The four of us have lots of inside jokes (that's what makes me and Becky laugh at all the wrong moments, sorry Becky, I know it's usually my fault). Here are just a few examples: "Guess what... chicken butt!?!" "Who put a quarter in the baby?", "Becky wants that card.", "hey kool-ade!!", The man on the bike (I wonder if he ever made it back to West Yellowstone?), moose sloppy joes (Mike and Steve have an entire story to share about that one), and of course white peanut m&m's.

A year after we became friends, Becky and I each gave birth to a baby girl just 10 days apart. Ashleigh and Morgan were best friends too. Seriously, if they stood side by side, and you stood immediately behind them, and you looked down at the tops of their two heads... you couldn't tell them apart. One Sunday Becky and I were asked to sing a duet in sacrament meeting. As we stood in front of the congregation singing so beautifully, we were suddenly joined by our 3-year-olds Morgan and Ashleigh (I mean seriously; Mike and Steve!?!) who began their own performance of antics for a very attentive congregation. As the congregation began laughing, and the girls continued performing, and the two of us kept singing, I was praying that I could make it to the end of the song, because even as we were singing the final notes I could literally feel the laughter begin to gurgle in my throat.

During the very hardest time of our lives, when Ashleigh was sick and then passed away, Steve and Becky were among the friends who supported and helped us through our trial. They sang a duet together at her funeral; it was a song I had listened to many months previously and knew immediately that I would want them to sing it on that occasion. Although I'm sure it was very hard for them to do, they did it for us, their friends, and they did it perfectly.

A few months ago Andy introduced Mike and I to some friends of his and Kristin's; later he told me, "I think they are our Steve and Becky." I think that statement pretty much sums it up, because you should consider yourself very blessed if you have a Steve and Becky in your life. I know I do. Love you guys.